LIAM Handley didn’t seem like a typical lung cancer patient.
The 36-year-old from Glossop, in Derbyshire, was young, fit and a non-smoker – but he did have anxiety.
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So when the dad-of-four started experiencing chest pains, his GP put it down to stress and increased his anxiety medication.
“I don’t think lung cancer was ever considered,” said Liam’s mum, Lynn.
“He didn’t fit the stereotype. He was young, healthy, and didn’t smoke. And herein lies the problem.”
Despite multiple visits to his GP, Liam was never referred for a chest X-ray.
The pain got so severe that his dad, Gordon, rushed him to the hospital, fearing a heart attack.
Doctors found blood clots in his lungs, but still no one suspected cancer.
Liam’s symptoms persisted and worsened over time.
He also began experiencing pain in his shoulders and lower back, for which he was prescribed strong painkillers.
It wasn’t until he paid for the private CT scan that the dad got the devastating news.
The scan confirmed lung cancer that had already spread to his liver, spine, and lymph nodes.
He also had a fracture to his pelvis and back.
The family was devastated.
“We were also so angry,” said Lynn. “It had taken so long – around nine months – to get the diagnosis.
“These were all precious months that could have made a difference to Liam’s prognosis and given us more time with our beautiful boy.”
Further tests revealed that Liam had a genetically mutated form of lung cancer called adenocarcinoma EGFR Exon 19 positive.
This type of cancer typically affects people with little to no history of smoking.
The dad was provided with a spinal brace that he had to wear 24/7.
He was restricted to lying flat, unable to sit up more than 30 degrees, and was not allowed to leave his bed
Why didn’t his GP send him for chest x-rays? Why didn’t they question why a healthy 36-year-old, young man was having severe chest pain?
Lynn
Liam started treatment, including targeted therapy. And for a while, it seemed to work.
By December 2020, he was well enough to marry his long-term partner, Louise.
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But tragically, by April 2021, Liam started to experience chest pain again and began to get quite out of breath.
Scans revealed the treatment was no longer working and his cancer was growing again.
‘Being a non-smoker worked against him’
Despite chemotherapy and immunotherapy, Liam passed away in October 2021, just 36 years old.
“We are left with so many questions,” said Lynn.
“Why didn’t his GP send him for chest x-rays? Why didn’t they question why a healthy 36-year-old, young man was having severe chest pain?
“How was the cancer not found when he was admitted to hospital with blood clots?”
Now, in his memory, the family is helping to raise awareness through Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation’s Let Go of the Labels campaign.
“We can only think that the label of non-smoker worked against Liam,” his mum added.
“The fact that he didn’t smoke clouded the doctor’s view so lung cancer was never considered.”
Paula Chadwick, chief executive of the charity, said: “Lung cancer is still so intrinsically linked to smoking,
“But the reality is anyone can get this disease, regardless of if they have smoked or not.”
How do people who never smoke get lung cancer?
WE’RE all well aware of the perils of smoking, with cigarettes responsible for seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer.
If you’ve never puffed on a cigarette, your odds of sidestepping the disease are altogether much stronger.
But it’s still possible to develop lung cancer even if you’ve sworn off tobacco.
In fact, up to 14 per cent of people with lung cancer in the UK have never smoked, according to Cancer Research UK.
What are the symptoms?
Most nonsmokers have no early signs of lung cancer, which means they’re often not diagnosed until it has spread.
But some people do notice symptoms in the cancer’s early stages, Yale oncologists said.
These are similar to the symptoms in smokers and may include the following:
- A cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse over time
- Coughing up blood
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Trouble breathing
- Wheezing
- Hoarseness
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss for no reason
- Fatigue
- Trouble swallowing
- Swelling in the face and/or the neck
- Recurrent lung infections, including pneumonia
What are the risk factors for lung cancer?
Even if you’ve never picked up a cigarette in your life, a combination of other factors can still put you at risk of developing the disease.
For starters, passive smoking – breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke – can slightly increase your risk, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Your age is another driver, as the cancer is more common in older people, with more than four in 10 people diagnosed with lung cancer being 75 and over.
Materials and substances you inhale while working can also increase your chances of developing lung cancer.
One such material is asbestos, a material that was previously used in the building industry.
People who have been in prolonged or close contact with asbestos have a higher risk of getting lung cancer, Macmillan said.
Heavy metals and diesel exhaust are two more cancer-causing agents that people could be exposed to at work, Yale oncologists added.
Then there’s radon gas.
In certain parts of the UK, a natural gas called radon can pass from the soil into the foundations of buildings.
While exposure to high levels of radon isn’t common, it can increase the risk of developing lung cancer, particularly in people who also smoke.
Finally, where you live can also up your risk, as research has shown that air pollution can be a driving factor behind lung cancer cases.
The risk is linked to air quality and how much pollution a person is exposed to, but for most people, the risk is very small, Macmillan noted.
